1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to monitor components and, more specifically, to a securing device for a printed circuit board that restricts the movement of the printed circuit board and thus simplifies the use of tactile switches that are attached to the printed circuit board
2. Background Art
Generally, monitors can support tactile switches using one of two methods. One method of attaching tactile switches to a monitor is to mount the switches on a separate printed circuit board from the main printed circuit board. A second method used to support tactile switches in monitors is to attach the switches directly to the main printed circuit board. The monitor that has the various switches installed on the main printed circuit board has the advantage of having fewer parts that need to be assembled during the monitor assembly process. However, one disadvantage of mounting the tactile switches directly to the main printed circuit board is that the mounting of the printed circuit board requires more accuracy and a more secure mounting method to ensure the proper operation of the switches.
A monitor with tactile switches installed on the main printed circuit board may be constructed using a front cover that is fixed to a first bracket that supports a cathode ray tube. The rear cover is attached to the rear side of the front cover. The main printed circuit board has a multitude of electric devices and tactile switches that input commands to the main printed circuit board that processes video signals. A second bracket is fixed to the first bracket and supports the main printed circuit board. A stand allows the monitor to rotate through a predetermined range of motion with respect to a user. A bottom member is affixed to the underside of the second bracket and is engaged with the top of the stand. The main printed circuit board is secured to the second bracket by a plurality of fasteners.
There are many difficulties with the monitors of the contemporary art that utilize printed circuit boards that have attached switches. For example, when the tactile switches are pressed, the main printed circuit board, on which the tactile switches are mounted, moves slightly within the second bracket due to manufacturing and tolerance errors. This results in the printed circuit board being progressively misaligned. Additionally, since the main printed circuit board makes contact with the inner surfaces of the second bracket, an increased amount of time is required to secure the main printed circuit board onto the second bracket when the second bracket is deformed. This increases the precision of tolerances required to manufacture a bracket that supports a printed circuit board that has mounted switches. Furthermore, if the tactile switch is mounted to the printed circuit board in a position closer to the rear of the monitor than specified in the design, then the tactile switches will not be pressed directly even when function switch, positioned on the front cover, is pressed. If the tactile switches are installed on the printed circuit board too close to the front of the monitor, then the tactile switches and the function switches will always be in contact. Thus, even when the main printed circuit board is accurately installed, the placement of the tactile switches on the printed circuit board is critical. Thus, a monitor that has function switches mounted on the main printed circuit board can have difficulty functioning properly and avoiding malfunctions.
As such, I believe that it may be possible to improve on the contemporary art by providing a bracket for monitors that has improved securing characteristics for a printed circuit board, that allows switches to be mounted directly to the main printed circuit board without undergoing progressive misalignment, that simplifies the assembly process by allowing the switches to be attached to the printed circuit board during the manufacturing process of the printed circuit board, that has enough elastic resilience to prevent the tactile switches from fracturing when an excessive amount of force is provided, and that actually guide the printed circuit board into the proper position on the bracket during the monitor assembly process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors.
It is another object to provide a main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors that allows switches to be mounted directly to the printed circuit board without the board undergoing progressively increasing misalignment as the buttons are used.
It is still another object to provide a main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors that has improved printed circuit board securing characteristics.
It is yet another object to provide a main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors that simplifies the monitor assembly process by allowing the switches to be mounted ahead of time on the main printed circuit board prior to the assembly of the monitor and thus avoiding the difficulties in precise switch positioning.
It is still yet another object to provide a main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors that has enough elastic resilience to prevent the switches that are directly mounted on the printed circuit board from fracturing when an excessive amount of force is provided while securing the printed circuit board in the correct position relative to the supporting bracket.
It is a further object to provide a main printed circuit board retaining device for monitors that guides the printed circuit board into position on the bracket during the assembly process, thus further simplifying the manufacturing process as printed circuit boards bearing switches need to be more precisely placed within the monitor housing than printed circuit boards that do not have tactile switched directly mounted.
These and other objects can be achieved, by providing a printed circuit board retaining device that may be constructed using a bracket with side walls to hold the printed circuit board in place. The bracket can either use abutments in the side walls or a locker device to secure the printed circuit board to the bracket. The tactile switches that are mounted to the printed circuit board are maintained in a stable position relative to the chassis due to the side walls of the bracket.
One type of abutment that can be used to retain the printed circuit board in the bracket is to have a multitude of protrusions projecting inwards from the side walls. Preferably, the protrusions are formed as an integral unit with the side walls. The protrusions exert a force onto the printed circuit board that prevents the printed circuit board from separating from the bracket. The protrusion can be easily manufactured using a tool to exert a force on the bracket that deforms the side walls of the bracket. However, the protrusion must not project inward from the side wall so far as to interfere with the mounting of the printed circuit board.
Alternatively, the board restraining device can be a flap formed by cutting out a part of the side wall and bending it inwards. In this case, it is preferable to provide a groove at a side of the printed circuit board or configure the side profile of the printed circuit board so that the movement of the printed circuit board is restricted by the flap. The bracket may be designed to have an inclined surface that can guide the printed circuit board into position during the assembling process.
The side walls can be manufactured so that the flap is merely a cut out section of the side wall that is bent inwards, thus the side wall provides support for the flap.